Fridays Are For Frank: “Angel Eyes”

As we all know, Frank Sinatra would have turned 100 this December. Yesterday, however, was the 17th anniversary of his passing.

When Sinatra died, Hoboken became the focal point of the world’s mourning. Nowhere else in the world was so intimately tied to Frank—Vegas, Palm Springs, even “New York, New York” seemed like brief stopovers for Frank, even though he reportedly despised his hometown for the way certain individuals turned on him back in the day. Even then, Hoboken was a snake pit…

Yet when it came time to celebrate its native son, Hoboken rose to the occasion. News cameras lined up outside the makeshift shrine at 415 Monroe, the spot where Frank entered the world. Crowds worked their way into Piccolo’s, Leo’s and Biggie’s—all collectively lamenting the loss of Sinatra at venues that were known to hold him dear.

Even the jukeboxes in the corner bars were belting out Frank favorites, as Hoboken old and new came together and paid their respects in a manner befitting Sinatra.

They drank to him.
“Hey drink up all you people
Order anything you see
And have fun you happy people
The laugh and the drinks on me…”